Helix – Scotch Oakburn College

Helix – Scotch Oakburn College

Two pre-existing science buildings and a grassed playground have been radically recast and creatively integrated, thanks to Birrelli’s design for a new science and maths centre. Aptly called ‘Helix’, this state-of-the-art facility is the newest addition at Scotch Oakburn College, a pre-eminent independent school in the state’s north.

Helix is a true collaboration between college educators and architects, sharing pedagogy, points-of-view, values, objectives, and agreed-upon strategies for implementation. Philosophically, Helix promotes critical and creative thinking in science, maths, arts, humanities, and languages – it is a home base for year nine and year ten students. And, the big learning stair, equipped as an ICT-rich innovative learning environment, accommodates the whole college student cohort – place-making to think global and engage internationally.

Following the ideal of environmentalism, a central tenet of ‘Round Square’ schools, Scotch Oakburn’s Helix is the embodiment of learning, using environmental sustainability as the key design generator.